Bell accused of breaking labour law with unpaid interns

Totally sick. I've always thought this was bull from day one. People need to eat. I agree with givng them reduced wages but at the very least minimum wage is an absolute necessity. These are often multi billion dollar companies I mean common.

But that would take a few grand out of the multimillion dollar paycheques of the big time CEOs, can't have that.

I never understood not paying interns?

These are the people that we hope will come into our industries and bring their expertise and exuberance with them.

They are an investment...and like any investment, you don't make anything by paying nothing.

Capitalism ain't happy unless it's kicking someone when they're already down. Without regulations, like labour laws, it's almost a default setting that the rules for employee treatment will be created by the worst of the bullies and sociopaths in the management sectors.

This only further entrenches my policy of "Fuck Bell"

Totally sick? Give me a fuckin' break.

You sign up for a voluntary, non-paid internship and then bitch about it after the fact?

Although I think the whole concept of an "unpaid internship" is completely stupid, and I agree they were silly to even sign up for it, at the same time, Bell does not have any justification for not abiding by the law with these internship slots.

Although I think the whole concept of an "unpaid internship" is completely stupid, and I agree they were silly to even sign up for it, at the same time, Bell does not have any justification for not abiding by the law with these internship slots.

Unpaid interns can get a ton of great experience and have a great company name on a resume.

Think about it for a second....unlike school where you pay to learn something and have no experience, an internship costs you nothing, often the same amount of time as school, yet it provides you with actual work experience while you learn.

Great idea if done right.

It's also a great idea for scaring the other employees into being more compliant. Don't want to take that 20% pay cut we're generously offering you? Fine, we'll just give your job to one of the interns and you don't have to bother coming in anymore. The whole thing is practically slavery minus the chains and being locked up in a shack overnight.

I doubt this is unique to Bell. I think it's pretty comon practice, especially for large organizations. There have already been some court cases on it in the US.

I think a primary issue here is that, while these people were hired on as interns with the promise of training, they allege that they ended up basically doing joe work If that's the case they should be paid.

Labour laws aren't that clear on the subject, unfortunately--at least not from what I've read. Statistics seem to indicate that unpaid internships don't really boost your prospects. What they do do is identify to prospective employers that you are keen and ambitious--and that you will work for peanuts.

Educating students to avoid free labour masquerading as training would help. Wonder if there's a web site that tracks these tings (like the Rate My Prof sites).

Yeah, but shareholder value increased and executive pay and bonuses were boosted, so all the really important bases were covered.

Man, I hate this world sometimes.

Although I think the whole concept of an "unpaid internship" is completely stupid, and I agree they were silly to even sign up for it, at the same time, Bell does not have any justification for not abiding by the law with these internship slots.

Unpaid interns can get a ton of great experience and have a great company name on a resume.

Think about it for a second....unlike school where you pay to learn something and have no experience, an internship costs you nothing, often the same amount of time as school, yet it provides you with actual work experience while you learn.

Great idea if done right.

Yeah there are internships in other fields of work and you know what we call them. Apprenticeships. Guess what happens there. You get paid. No schooling often needed to start just a willing company and trainer.

If the trades can do it so can big business. You pay for school because that piece of paper is respected and understood by all employers. You get what you pay for.

If free workers are displacing paid workers as it often the case with these internships I welcome you to make your "they get some great experience" point with them.

Yeah, I feel the same way, but then, I'm a union kind of guy. Not really an "in vogue" viewpoint these days.

Of course labour laws will protect even after the unions are gone, right? We still have minimum wage, right? Not so much.